1. Field of the Invention
Systems and methods consistent with the invention relate to treating a foot with a medical shoe.
2. Description of the Related Art
Podiatric specialists and other medical professionals providing podiatric treatment and surgery often use medical shoes in the course of therapy. Certain medical shoes may be used to provide support and rigidity after podiatric surgery. Other medical shoes may be used to offload weight from a wound or other sensitive area on the foot. Still other shoes are used to accommodate and protect casts that may be applied to the foot and lower leg after surgery or trauma.
Podiatric specialists and other medical professionals providing podiatric treatment select a medical shoe to be used as part of a treatment regimen based on the specific problem to be solved and the particular characteristics of a patient's foot. For example, one type of medical shoe is used to provide rigidity after surgery, another type of medical shoe is used to offload weight from a wound or other sensitive area, and yet another type of medical shoe is used to accommodate and protect lower leg casts.
Thus, it is necessary for podiatric specialists and other medical professionals providing podiatric treatment to have available a wide variety of medical shoes in their offices or other treatment facilities in order to ensure that the proper medical shoe is available for each patient requiring the use of a medical shoe. This wide variety of medical shoes takes up a significant amount of space in providers' offices or treatment facilities and dramatically increases the amount of inventory needed to provide a wide range of treatment options.